Breaking ground for new era as work starts at Waverley school site

Waverley Junior Academy, which is only the second new school to be built in the borough in the last 25 years, promises to be a state-of-the-art facility, which will have an eventual capacity for 420 pupils with early years facilities and will be able to make provision for children aged from the age of two up to 11.

The Mayor of Rotherham, Cllr Jenny Andrews, was joined by representatives from Rotherham Borough Council and from Aston Community Education Trust (ACET) and contractors Houlton to break ground at the location of the new school, which is due to open its doors next year.

There is currently no school on the 250-home Waverley development, but local families will be able to apply for places for their children from August this year, ahead of the school opening in September 2020.

Eunice Newton, chief executive of ACET, said: “It’s wonderful to think that the ground where everyone was standing will be occupied by a brand-new school in just 14 months' time, and the soil-cutting ceremony certainly makes everything seem more real. 

“There has been a tremendous amount of hard work that has gone into preparing the plans for the school and everybody will be able to see all that effort come to life over the next few months.

“We have also held an information event for prospective parents recently and there is a great deal of excitement. 

“The whole community is behind this project and we’re looking forward to creating a school that Waverley can be proud of.”